Guidance: (LeeTen)
by ArcticDivinity
Summary: Tenten is having a bit of trouble with her Team, and her feelings for her particularly over-enthusiastic Teammate only seem to make things worse. But what happens when she meets a strange being by the name of Hakkumaru who is set on helping her out with her affections for Lee. But had Tenten gotten herself into more than she anticipated?
1. Chapter 1

ガイダンス

"Guidance"

Chapter 1 (Breaking Point)

Disappointment, that was only one of the various things Tenten was feeling right now. though alongside her disappointment, confusion was also very prominent as she scanned the emptiness of her team's usual training grounds.

She decided not to allow herself to jump to conclusions too quickly and re-scanned the area before looking around for any signs of her teammates and or Sensei being there, or perhaps, having been there prior to her arrival.

The brunette Kunoichi felt slight relief as she noticed the fairly new chips on the posts and targets scattered across the clearing, and of course some recent holes in the ground from an obvious recoil off of the ground.

But the real question here was why they weren't still here training, to leave so early is breaking the routine, something Gai Sensei would never encourage unless they went on a Mission or had something to attend elsewhere.

Even if either scenario had been the case she would have been informed beforehand, and it was uncommon for the team to leave without a member... It just didn't add up, if they weren't here training where could they be? and without her?

Tenten grit her teeth once again skimming her eyes around the area, something was wrong and if her gut told her anything, she wasn't going to like the outcome of whatever was going on.

She closed her eyes straining to find a reason why they'd be absent, and on such an important day as well... was this just some practical joke? cause it isn't funny. and besides, if it were, her team would have already acted upon whatever prank they'd conjured since it has already been long enough since she first arrived.

The tense weapons' master shook her head in an attempt to clear it, and decided to train in order to keep her mind busy, and off of the sudden disappearance of her comrades.

She drew four kunai in her right hand, each one placed in the spaces between her trained fingers. She launched herself into the air drawing her arm back and then forward as she sent all four Kunai towards a target propped in one tree, each one landing directly on the small red dot in the middle, each one almost symmetrical to the rest.

As she remained airborne she drew fourth eight more kunai and spun herself in the air moving her arms at the necessary speed to propel the kunai in all the target directions.

She kept at it for about an hour, her worried mind throwing off her focus slightly, but becoming less and less of an obstacle the further she trained.

Tenten halted her movements when she caught the sound of footsteps and loud chatter, she spun on her heel in the direction of her comrades' voices in time to see Neji, Lee, and her Sensei approach from the trees, she immediately made her way over to the trio in a hurried scuffle.

"There you guys are! I've been waiting for you guys for over an hour to show up!" The three stopped in front of the slightly shaken kunoichi and each paled slightly.

"Where have you been?! I've been worried sick." Tenten huffed placing both hands on her hips as she stared the three down, Neji, being the first to speak stepped forward towards his female team member.

"Calm down, Tenten," and then added, "We had only gone for special training."

Tenten raised a brow cocking her head to the side.

"Special...Training?" Neji looked at her as if slightly annoyed nodding in confirmation.

"Ah, yes indeed! Just as Neji said, we went out for some Special Training! We are very sorry to worry you, Tenten!" Lee said enthusiastically not noticing her conflicted expression, as he pumped his fist into the air.

"With... Without me? ..." Tenten tried not to let the hurt in her voice follow through, but it did nonetheless, and it did not go unnoticed my Neji, of course, him having the ability to see through people, but he said nothing.

Lee, on the other hand, did not realize this fact and continued to ramble about how "Youthful" their training that morning had been, Tenten's expression darkening by the second.

"Oh! well yes, we uh, thought it'd be more beneficial if you hadn't come with us today! you know, since me and Neji wanted some one-on-one sparring with Gai-Sensei and each other."

Neji remained indifferent to the situation and Gai stayed wisely silent, as Lee explained the reasoning behind their absence.

"And of course we wanted to train with each other separately since Neji and I are on a more even level-"

Tenten clenched her fists at her sides, a shadow over her eyes and her gaze downcast. _So that's it...She wasn't strong enough. shocker._

"And you didn't think to let me know? or even let me come...?" Lee paused confusedly before catching a glimpse of her downcast expression, and immediately realized his mistake.

She knew she'd always been one step behind her teammate's often times having a hard time keeping up with their rapid growth... But she never thought that they didn't... _didn't need her._

"Or am I just in the way of you and Neji nowadays...?" Tenten spoke through clenched teeth her anger seeming to radiate off of her in hot steam, her hands started to shake, her nails digging into the flesh of her palms and knuckles starting to turn white.

Both male Team members and their Sensei stared at her now the tension thick in the air as their shaken teammate lept her eyes locked on the ground.

Lee deflated, his brows creasing in a look of concern for his hurt comrade, Instant guilt flooding through his reason. He immediately opened his mouth to speak a thousand apologies, and possibly a worthy excuse for that matter.

"Oh, Tenten we didn't mean-" Tenten cut him off instantly, finally lifting her face to stare into his eyes pinning him in place with her gaze.

"Didn't mean what, Lee?!" Her voice pierced through the air in a shaky anger-fueled shout leaving Lee frozen, she raised her fist in front of her face in emphasis as she spoke again.

"Didn't mean to push me aside!? didn't mean to look down on me because I can't use healing Jutsu or help my team like Sakura!? or Hinata?! "

Tenten thought of all the times she felt useless to her team, unable to help because of her limited physical ability... because of her gender, or even just because she was too weak.

They all stared in shock as she let loose the pent-up frustration she'd been holding in all the years that she's advanced from a mere Genin to now, not wanting to accept the fact that she'd never compare to the Ninja she trained alongside with every day since day one.

"Didn't mean to look down on me because I'm not strong enough to keep up with you? or didn't mean to make me feel like dead weight?!"

Tenten shouted in a blind fury, not even realizing the hot tears collecting in the corners of her eyes and starting to blur her vision.

She dropped her head down to ground again her fist lowering as her body trembling from the intensity of her outburst, she was breathing heavily the tears finally breaking free and sliding down to her chin and dripping onto the dirt at her feet.

"... Or was it always like that...? and I just didn't notice it until I was beaten by Temari...?"

Tenten raised her arm to her face too quickly wipe her now streaming tears, though only making room for more to fall uncontrollably. She sighed defeatedly, a small choked sob rising from her throat.

Lee recovered and outstretched a hand to his friend wanting to comfort her, but she only stepped out of his reach.

A forced half-hearted laugh came from the Brunette, and she took another step backward, and then two more, before turning on her heel, and high-tailing out of there as fast as her legs would allow.

"Tenten, Please wait!" Gai put a hand on Lee's shoulder before he could run after her, shaking his head.

"Leave her be, Lee. She needs some time to... cool off." Lee looked at his Sensei and then to Neji, who nodded in silent agreement, although a slight tinge of guilt in those normally cold pale eyes.

Lee looked back to Tenten's fleeing form, nothing upsetting him more than the fact that she was running away from them, running away from him. He just couldn't take it, no way. no way he'd allow himself to look Tenten in the eyes without apologizing to her first.

"NO! I must go after her Sensei! she is upset, and it is all my doing!" Lee broke from Gai's grasp and made a run for it, but was easily caught once again by his idolized Sensei.

"No, Lee... I understand you feel bad, but it wasn't just your fault either. it would be wise to just give Tenten some space, she's a tough girl you know that she may not want your comfort right now."

Lee looked down, ashamed, and Gai, feeling as if he'd finally gotten through to him released him, giving the boy a look of pity, knowing how much he must be beating himself up about it.

But Lee was still determined to help, even if it was going against his Sensei's greater judgment.

"I won't! I am sorry Gai-Sensei! But I cannot stand to the side!"

"Please, Come back!" He took off running after Tenten, knowing he'd be able to catch up soon. but hoped he'd catch her before she got home.

Gai shook his head looking away from Lee's fleeting form and to Neji, who only looked down, in that moment wishing he would one day be as bold as Lee.

. . .

Tenten slammed her front door closed and threw her back to the door, before sliding down onto the floor, resting her back against the hard wood, and pulling her knees to her chest.

She forced herself to stop crying, not letting any more of her weakness show. _Weak ..._ that's exactly how she'd just acted, _in front of her entire team._

What she didn't expect was the sudden rapid knocking at her front door and the desperate voice of Lee on the other side.

"Tenten...! please! open the door!" Tenten flinched looking down at her knees, she really didn't want to face her friend right now.

"G-Go away, Lee...!" There was a brief pause before she heard a thump against the door, and almost got up and left, but her body refused to move from her spot.

"I-... I am sorry! I did not mean t-to make you feel that way, Tenten..." She heard an aspirated sigh from her comrade on the other side, and the unsteady tone of his voice caught her attention.

She bit her lip in concentration, trying to keep herself from giving in, her tears started to bubble up once again. In her efforts, she let out a trembling breath in an attempt to swallow the lump in her throat.

"Tenten...?" She let her head fall back to rest against the door, not caring if it only told him she was there.

Tenten gathered up whatever confidence she had left, and stood up from her spot on the floor, turning to face the door, though having no intentions to open it.

"Lee... I just, want to be alone right now." That wasn't entirely untrue, but she'd be lying if she didn't want someone to let everything out with, she just didn't think she'd be able to face Lee or Neji without getting angry or breaking down...

"I...I understand I will wait until you are ready to talk to me, I promise you!" He clenched his fist in front of his face as if determined to make things right.

"... Thank you ..." It was quiet and Lee almost didn't pick it up, but when he did he almost stopped after making it two feet from her door, before making his way out of the apartment complex.

. . .

Tenten lost track of how long she sat there just lost in thought before she finally decided to get up and leave her house, she walked past the training grounds and made her way to the only place she knew she could be alone.

After a short walk through brush and dense grass, she arrived at a rusty chain-link fence and quickly jumped over it kicking the discarded "No Trespassing" and "High Voltage" signs on the gravel at her feet.

She set her stuff down under the metal electric tower and moved to a spot where five wooden posts stood in front of her, and two more behind her. there were already targets put up around the cite, the posts already held embedded kunai, shuriken, and chips of all sizes.

This is where she came to train when she needed an outlet outside of her Team's normal training hours, it was the same spot she came to when she was taken sown by Temari, and thrown out of the Chunin exams.

And this was the very spot her life would change, but this time for the better...

Green orbs watched her every move, _closely, cautiously_. before the owner decided to move to a more convenient spot, keeping a close eye on the occupied kunoichi the figure moved from their hiding spot, to a closer but still a well-hidden spot.

The figure crouched down low as quiet as possible, but, unfortunately not quiet enough, as a kunai zipped past his face grazing the skin there before embedding itself into the tree behind him.

Not even a half-a-second later the brush hiding him was pushed aside and the angry brunette kunoichi stared him down, another kunai drawn and pointed directly at his throat.

The green orbs widened before flickering up and meeting piercing caramel-colored eyes of the weapons' mistress above him.

Tenten stared into the eyes of her assumed pursuer, the cold irritation never wavering from her brown eyes.

"State your purpose for spying on me, and who sent you!"

The boy in front of her flinched only slightly but didn't look away or retract, he thought out his next words carefully as to not anger the kunoichi with a blade to his throat.

"I wasn't spying...and I was sent by no one." Tenten's expression only hardened but was laced with confusion as well, the boy cleared his throat and quickly added-

"I was merely admiring your physical abilities, and didn't know how to... approach you, so I watched from afar." Tenten removed the kunai from his neck and took a step back, calmer but still cautious.

"I meant no harm." The kunoichi nodded and watched the stranger stand up at their full height, noting the height difference as she tilted her head up slightly to maintain eye contact.

Upon doing so she noticed the peculiar growths protruding from the man's head, resembling what seemed to be horns of some sort. an intricate emblem on both, and a light layer of gauze tied around the base of each horn.

"I am, Hakkumaru. I'm interested to know who you are if you'll-"

"I'm Tenten, there's no need for a formal introduction or anything." Hakkumaru nodded though noticing the troubled look in the kunoichi's brown eyes.

Tenten pocketed her kunai and turned to walk towards the tower, Hakkumaru following soon after. She sat down under the tower next to her things and looked up expectantly at Hakkumaru who eventually sat down across from her.

His eyebrows raised when he was offered a Rice ball, not at all expecting such actions from a stranger he'd just knowingly 'stalked'. He took it nonetheless, contently eating along with Tenten, though it became increasingly difficult to ignore the negative vibes coming from his new mutual.

"You seem troubled, I am eager to help if that is acceptable, or to just listen." Tenten was silent for a moment considering declining but took the opportunity to talk, even if he was a stranger he seemed nice enough.

"Yeah, you're right. It's just... I got in a fight with my team earlier-well I yelled at them and- I..." She trailed off struggling to explain the situation legibly, Hakku seemed to understand and waited for her to continue.

"I just feel like they've always seen me as dead weight... or it just seems like I can't keep with them."

Hakkumaru listened as she told him everything that had happened earlier today, and how she's been feeling over the years. It was so strange for Tenten to open up so easily, and to someone, she just met... But she couldn't help it, he was being so nice to her and didn't seem to mind her rambling.

. . .

"I see you have some issues expressing yourself to your friends and have you ever mentioned this to Lee or Neji?"

Tenten shook her head. She'd always been the one to push through the pain, and allow her teammates to lean on her for comfort, not the other way around.

"Have you tried talking to your Sensei about it?" Hakku was careful not to prod in the wrong places, having noted what can push her buttons as their conversation went on, he'd always been the observant type.

"No, it's easier said than done. If you ever met Gai-Sensei you'd understand why." It was true, her Sensei could be incredibly dense sometimes, although he was wiser than Lee he still shared the slightly clueless quality.

Hakkumaru nodded and looked up at the dimming sky, following his gaze Tenten too noticed how late it had gotten, it wasn't that this spot wasn't necessarily unsafe even at night, but she was going to need a good sleep if she was going to face her Team tomorrow...

The both of them stood and Tenten gathered her things, and then they walked to the chain-link fence, Tenten turned and pursed her lips.

"Thank you, for...everything today." Hakku nodded a with a soft smile and closed eyes.

"It was my pleasure to be of help, I hope we can meet up again soon." Tenten smiled half-heartedly and nodded.

"Yeah, I hope so too." The kunoichi jumped over the fence effortlessly, turning back to face Hakkumaru through the fence.

"You'll know where to find me" Was all Hakkumaru said as he stepped back and waited for her to turn and begin walking home, and when he couldn't see her anymore he too turned on his heel to leave.

. . .

Tenten closed the door to her apartment much gentler than she had hours before, she didn't bother to flick on the light.

The first thing she did was head to the bathroom to shower, she started the water and let it warm up as she stripped down to her socks- well that is if she had worn any.

Once she stepped under the hot water she felt peace, she closed her eyes and let the water rinse away her worries.

 _Some Birthday this has been huh?_

. . . -:End of Chapter 1 :- . . .

 **A/N: alright now I should probably mention that this story is LeeTen centered. I apologize for the angsty beginning, it was necessary though.**

 **I'm planning on making this story pretty damn long, we'll see what happens.**

 **Ahem, also for a bit of a warning, this fic is rated M for a very good reason.**


	2. Chapter 2 (Expect the Unexpected)

ガイダンス

"Guidance"

Chapter 2 (Expect the Unexpected)

 **A/N: Heyyy… so I kind of forgot about this story? Yeah… for like a year! I'm not really in the fandom anymore, and the chances of me writing the next chapter are very slim. I just don't have the patience nor motivation to finish it… sorry guys. I'll put this story up for adoption though! If anybody wants to continue it themselves, I'm cool with it.**

 **Anyways! Here's what I had typed up months ago of chapter two, and I'm by no means satisfied with it… but hey! It's something.**

Tenten woke up the next morning two hours later than usual. She almost jumped right out of bed to rush and get ready and make a mad dash to the training grounds. Instead, she stretched her arms high above her head with a fleeting yawn taking her time to drag herself out of her soft bed.

The brunette decided she wouldn't bother with her teammates today. Not today. It's not like today would be any different from yesterday, she took the time to notice how every day had become repetitive. It was always the same routine, the same feeling of bored restlessness that probably was why she felt so bad in the first place.

Tenten sighed as she stepped into her kitchen, it was simple and clean, she didn't normally cook anything other than quick ramen or rice. That and she rarely was in the kitchen longer than an hour, there was simply no need or time to take her sweet little time cooking for herself. She normally just picked up something on the way home from training, whenever she wanted something other than what she had the patience to cook at home.

She glanced out the window as she made a beeline to the pantry. It was a nice day out today and not bad weather at all for a walk. It wasn't often she had the time to just go out for long walks without a specific idea of where to go. Tenten scanned the shelves of her pantry and decided a trip to the store would be inevitable, she might as well stop by while she was out. It had been two weeks since she last went grocery shopping after all...

The kunoichi wasn't too experienced in the art of cooking, and by the looks of her pitiful stock in the pantry she'd have to hold off until she returned from the store to have brunch, She sighed and stepping back into the kitchen she started preparing some Tea.

Tenten dressed in her usual get-up despite her desire to wear something more casual for once, taking extra time wrapping her bandages and putting her hair up into her signature twin buns with more care.

Tenten had never been a woman fond of makeup and normally stuck to basic hygiene necessities like deodorant and the occasional body spray. But since she had more time she took the time to add some lightweight eyeliner, thinking back to the time Ino had complimented her use of it at some party a few months back.

It was subtle but she admired the way it looked. Tenten made a mental note to wear it more often. Tenten checked herself in the mirror, an unusual occurrence considering her normal quick and easy morning routine. She left her scrolls behind, finding no use for them on a simple shopping trip. As a kunoichi, she knew that carrying weaponry was a necessity and slight expectation in order to always be alert, but scrolls were a bit overkill in calm situations like these.

She stepped outside with an abnormal tranquil state of mind, she found herself wondering how it was to have a normal civilian lifestyle. It was definitely not her style, but she saw its advantages.

. . .

By the time Tenten got home, it was already lunchtime and she was more than ready to get just about anything in her system. She spent some time at the stove making some good old-fashioned fried rice and brewing some herbal tea that was marked down, Tenten didn't hate cooking; she was just inexperienced.

The brunette did mix up the portions and ended up making more than necessary, she could probably just eat the leftovers for dinner if she didn't feel like cooking later. She was just about to pour herself some tea when a light knock came from behind her front door, it was almost too quiet to hear. She immediately felt the nervousness bubble in the pit of her stomach, it was most likely Neji.

Tenten took in a breath before she opened the door with caution, her heart dropped through her chest the moment she saw who stood in front of her.

"Lee…"

Lee smiled awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck nervously as she opened the door a little wider.

"Hello, Tenten! " His voice held his usual enthusiasm but the slight crease between his thick brows said otherwise, it wasn't often she saw Lee so… anxious.

"What are you doing here?" Tenten kept her expression calm but her eyes held few signs of their usual warm familiarity.

The first thing Lee noticed and was shocked to see was her hazel eyes rimmed in black makeup, Tenten never wore makeup.

"I um, came to talk with you. Since yesterday… you know-" Tenten had already anticipated his next words and quite honestly didn't care to hear the rest, she might as well get this conversation over with.

If she knew anything about Lee, he wasn't going to stop bugging her until she came clean.

"Fine, come in. You might as well help me eat up the rest of lunch."

Tenten turned and walked back inside heading for the kitchen, Lee stood dumbfounded for a moment before quickly entering and closing the door behind him.

He followed after the brunette taking a bit longer to reach the kitchen as he gave her place a once over. It was small, but welcoming nonetheless. He'd only been in her apartment a handful of times.

Lee absentmindedly took a seat at the small round small table before turning his attention to his female teammate. Tenten had her back turned to him as she poured two cups of tea, she already had his plate made. The green-clad ninja couldn't help but smile cocking his head to the side in genuine interest. She looked so... domesticated. He was so used to seeing her as a fierce kunoichi that seeing her cooking was just alien to him.

Lee snapped out of his daze as a plate was set in front of him, Tenten then set down her own plate at the other end of the table. She went to grab the two cups of herbal tea, handing him one and taking a sip of her own. When she finally sat down to eat, Lee had already inhaled half of his rice. She watched with a small smile as he shoveled food into his open maw, he always ate like that after training.

Tenten frowned at the thought of him, Neji, and Gai-sensei running off to train without her. Her forlorn mood beginning to resurface from the events of yesterday, when she'd blown up at the training grounds.

The majority of the time they spent eating they sat in an awkward silence, neither knowing how to start up a conversation. When had it become so tense between them? Lee mentally kicked himself as he remembered yesterday's events, of course, she was going to act differently.

Lee waited patiently for her to finish before asking her what he should do with his plate, she hastily told him to just put it on the counter. They awkwardly moved into the living room with refilled cups of tea, and Lee found himself straining for good ways to begin this talk.

As they sat on the couch Lee finally swallowed down his nervousness and set down his cup on the end table. Perhaps a little louder than he had anticipated, but swallowed down his apprehension and turned his body to face his unusually quiet friend.

"Tenten, please do not be like this! I know you are upset and I want to help but you have to talk to me for me to do that."

Tenten was shocked by his sudden outburst and found herself at a loss of what to say. It wouldn't be the first time tonight, she couldn't help the lingering pang of guilt for avoiding all forms of communicating with him, but after all those years there is no way she'd make this easy for him.

"Fine, let's talk."

Her blunt response was unexpected and told him that this conversation wasn't going to be an easy nor pretty one if he wasn't careful. Oh, she was angrier than he thought and he's seen Tenten at her angriest… this could end really badly. Best case scenario, he leaves here with only minor injuries, the worst case scenario…

Lee started to sweat and swallowed thickly. _Kami have mercy on his poor soul._


End file.
